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LAS VEGAS (AP) - Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after his car was caught in a fire 15 car pile-up, another car flew over and landed in a fence up just outside the second trip
The rider of 33 years won Indy twice, including the race this year.
Three other drivers, including championship rival Will Power, were injured in pile-up in 11th round
Wheldon was transported to University Medical Center from the track, about two hours later, his colleagues said CEO Randy Bernard IndyCar death, he said Wheldon wounds were "unsurvivable."

"One minute you're joking around with the driver introductions. Now, Dan is gone," said Dario Franchitti, whose wife, actress Ashley Judd, was to bring him a box of tissues. "We lost, we lost a good friend. Each IndyCar Series held its friend. It was a good boy. He was a charmer."
When the race is canceled, drivers, many openly sobbing, took part in round five greetings of about 1.5 km oval-shaped in honor of one of its biggest stars.
The race was only minutes old when Wheldon, who started in the back of the pack of 34 cars and was in the position of a salary of $ 5 million if he won, he could not stay away from an accident that began when two cars hit the tires.
Within seconds, several vehicles were set on fire and debris-covered track halfway up the straight line. Some points were for workers devastating impact to patch the holes in the asphalt.
Replays showed video car Wheldon as he went back into the air and sailed into what is called the capture barrier that sits on a barrier that is designed to give a little when the cars come into contact. Rescuers were quickly on car Wheldon, some waving furiously more help to get to the scene.

"I tell you, I've never seen anything like it," said Ryan Briscoe. "The garbage had to cross every lap later, looked like a war scene of Terminator or something. I mean, it was just pieces of metal and fire in the middle car on the track without a car attached to it, and just debris everywhere . It 'was scary, and your first thought is to be hoped that no one hurts, because there is just stuff everywhere. insane. "

Also injured in the crash was JR Hildebrand and Pippa Mann. Both remain in hospital overnight. IndyCar Mann said he had managed to burn his right little finger, and was published on Monday morning, Hildebrand was awake and alert, but kept overnight for further evaluation. Power was evaluated and released. An autopsy was planned Monday Wheldon.
IndyCar has not been fatal, when Paul Dana was killed in Homestead in 2006, when an accident on a warm morning.
The incident seemed to start when Wade Cunningham's car skidded on the runway, and Hildebrand pushed to the back left of the machine Cunningham. Hildebrand seemed to go on air, car and hit the wall Cunningham, triggering a chain reaction among the cars behind him.
Some of these cars has slowed down, while others do not, and spun in front of Wheldon and Power. There was so much chaos on the track, it was difficult to say who was driving this car.

Power seemed to fly on a car of Alex Lloyd, driving in the catch fence and landing on his right side. Your camera in the car was a front wheel come to him in the cabin.
Wheldon then appeared to drive a vehicle driven by Paul Tracy, who seemed to be diminishing. Wheldon, however, was in the air and turned on the fence.

Dan Wheldon Kids

The track was red flags after accidents while crews worked on the fence and removed the crushed cars.
"It was like a movie scene as they try to be as unpleasant as possible," said Danica Patrick, making his debut last IndyCar. "It was bad throughout the entire course. You could smell the smoke. You could see thick smoke to the right rear of the car. There was a little fire, as we drove. You could see the cars scattered. "
Wheldon, who came to America from England in 1999, won 16 times in his career and was the IndyCar Series champion in 2005.
In spite of winning this year's Indy 500, Wheldon was able to collect all the time to go this season. He landed in the competition thanks to Bernard promised $ 5 million each driver at night time, which could win the IndyCar season finale in Las Vegas. Although participants did not have, Bernard did not discard the idea, and Wheldon was declared eligible for the award.

Wheldon has offered a post on the blog of USA Today, in the days before the race in Las Vegas, and, together with the journal's website posted on Saturday, he talked about how you expect Sunday to be "fun".
"This is unbelievable," said Wheldon. "The two championship contenders, Dario Franchitti, and willpower, which will start right next to each other in the middle of the network. To be honest, if I can be fast enough in the early stages of the competition can get out there and rest on these two, it is fun. It will be a race package, and you never know how he is about to change. "

Drivers had been concerned about the speed on the track where they were hit almost 225 mph in practice.
"We all had a bad feeling about this place, especially just because of the high bank, and how easy it was to go flat. And if you permit, we are the pilots, and we try to go to the front. We ran each other hard, because that's what we do, "said driver Oriol Servia." We knew that if this could happen, but it's just really sad. "
Cunningham reiterated those comments.
"Things happen in this kind of race," he said. "It is so close. Not much room for error. I was near the front which caused all this, so I'm not very happy about it. At that time, whose fault it was a bit indifferent. "

When asked about the rate after the accident, Wheldon's former chief Chip Ganassi said, "there will be plenty of time to talk about the offseason. Now is the time to talk about it."
And Franchitti said: "I agree we are talking about it and resolve .."
The accident spoiled what Bernard had hoped would be an event of the IndyCar fight.
Second year of the CEO worked throughout the season by turning in a final game and said he would offer his resignation to the Board whether to transmit the ABC did not pull the 0.8 IndyCar standings. His goal was to improve last year's season finale is a horrible television ratings and give the series a bit the pace of things hoped for a strong season in 2013 a new car and new producers.

So, Bernard poured everyone in Las Vegas Speedway owner Bruton Smith rental and agree to promote the event. He landed sponsorship sufficient for at least a tie, the contest day, and the challenge of $ 5,000,000 have bought a huge publicity for the entire year.
Bernard won the Las Vegas Strip near a parade of cars, parts and Industry organized a blackjack tournament all to stimulate interest in the race. MGM Grand Resorts He even offered a pair of tickets to anyone staying the weekend in one of the 14 properties in the chain.

But what was hoped to be a day of celebration quickly became dark.
When the riders returned to the tribute track to revolutions, Wheldon is n. 77 was the only towering billboard. Franchitti sobbing uncontrollably as she returned to her car around Memorial. Voice "Danny Boy" echoed around the track, after which "Amazing Grace". Hundreds of employees of the crew team had the honor of Wheldon.
"What can you say? We will miss him," said Ganassi. "IndyCar Everyone died a little today."